Innovation Manager - Own Brand

Yeo Valley; Bristol; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading organic dairy producer in the UK is seeking an Innovation Manager to oversee the full product development process for their yogurt, ice cream, and desserts categories. The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 4 years of experience in food product development, a strong technical background, and excellent communication skills. This role offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package, including a non-contributory pension and annual bonus.

Benefits

Competitive holiday allowance

Non-contributory pension scheme

Annual bonus

Life cover

Healthcare cash back plan

Cycle to work scheme

Subsidised products

Learning and development opportunities

Responsibilities

• Lead NPD projects from kitchen concept to delivery.
• Work closely with Technical, Sourcing, Operations, and Commercial teams.
• Support design for manufacture and troubleshoot technical challenges.
• Manage and track product costing from concept to post-launch.
• Present concepts to customers and manage sample requests.
• Liaise with suppliers to source ingredients and ensure compliance.

Skills

Product formulation expertise

Project management

Knowledge of yogurt and desserts

Teamwork

Innovation focus

Problem solving

Communication skills

Industry knowledge

Business acumen

Education

Food qualification

4+ years of experience in food NPD

Job description

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So, what will I be doing?

At Yeo Valley, we’ve been making delicious, organic dairy products for over 50 years. As a family-run business, we believe in doing things the right way – sustainably, ethically, and with people at the heart of what we do. As an Innovation Manager, you’ll play a key role in shaping the future of our portfolio by managing the entire product development process—from concept to launch for our yogurt, ice cream, and desserts categories within our 'own brand' categories. You’ll work cross-functionally with teams across the business to deliver innovative, high-quality products that align with our values, meet customer expectations, and support our commercial goals. Key responsibilities include:

1. Lead NPD projects from kitchen concept to delivery, ensuring stakeholder alignment, visibility on project status, and coordination of critical paths and deadlines.
2. Work closely with Technical, Sourcing, Operations, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams to meet departmental requirements and drive seamless product development.
3. Support design for manufacture, troubleshoot technical challenges, and oversee development of new products, raw materials, packaging, and factory processes.
4. Manage and track product costing from concept to post-launch, ensuring commercial targets are met and profitability is maintained.
5. Present concepts to customers, manage sample requests, and provide food and trend insights through safaris, trawls, and innovation workshops.
6. Liaise with suppliers to source ingredients, ensure product compliance with internal policies, and monitor success of NPD launches with swift EPD response when needed.

Sounds interesting, what do I need?

Technical Skills:

Expertise in product formulation & sensory analysis

Project Management:

Experience in managing multiple product development projects simultaneously, with a focus on meeting deadlines and managing resources effectively.

Knowledge of Ingredients:

Strong understanding of the functional properties of yogurt, desserts & ice cream

Teamwork:

Ability to work well with a collaborative, cross-functional team environment and lead in own area of expertise. Ability to encourage & lead within own team.

Innovation Focus:

Passion for staying ahead of trends & a desire to proactively explore innovative ingredients and product concepts.

Problem solving:

Excellent troubleshooting skills and ability to analyze complex technical challenges & implement solutions. Support & mentor team members to reach solutions.

Communication:

Excellent verbal & written communication skills with the ability to present ideas and data clearly to technical & non-technical stakeholders.

Industry Knowledge:

Strong knowledge of brands, values & processes as adopted by the retailers.

Business Acumen:

Strong commercial awareness with the ability to identify & maximize opportunities while minimizing costs.

Qualifications required:

Food qualification or previous food manufacturing or catering experience. Minimum 4 years of post-graduate experience in a food NPD role, preferably within dairy, desserts or ice cream. Ideally have some people management experience. The ability to travel around all of our locations in the south west is essential due to multi-site locations.

Why should I join the family?

We’re independent, British and proud to be making the highest quality yogurts, desserts and ice cream under the Yeo Valley brand and for many of the UK’s major retailers. Operating from four dairies and two logistics centres in Somerset and Devon, we employ over 1700 staff and produce more than 25% of the UK’s packaged yogurt.

We’re sure you don’t need convincing, but there’s a whole host of benefits that we offer including:

• competitive holiday allowance
• non-contributory pension scheme
• annual bonus (as part of the Employee Benefit Trust, based on company performance for the year)
• life cover
• healthcare cash back plan
• cycle to work scheme
• subsidised Yeo Valley products and services
• preferential rates with our partners
• learning and development opportunities; we’re committed to ensuring all of our employees have the chance to grow